Penmaws assistant



(No Model.) W. H. LAMSON.

PENMANS ASSISTANT. No. 302,745. Patented July 29, 1884.

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lnrrn Tara nrniivr WARREN II. LAMSON, OF LYNN, llIASSAOHUSETTS.

PENMANS ASSISTANT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 302,745, dated July 29, .1884.

Application filed March 24, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, VVARREN H. LAMSON, of Lynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and Improved Fenmans Assistant, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to a device whereby persons in learning to write may be taught to hold the pen-staff at a given angle of inclination and to keep the fingers in the proper position relatively to the staff, as well as to.

keep the hand holding the staff in proper po sition relatively to the paper.

It is the object of my present invention to provide a device for the purposes described which shall be easy and economical to make and adapted to different sized hands, and which may be employed for one or all of the above mentioned purposes as occasion requires.

The invention consists in a peculiar and novel form composed of wire or other. suitable material provided with a loop adapted to be worn upon the finger of the hand, and having one end projecting forward to form a support for the pen-staii' and its opposite end extending rearward under the middle finger.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the two loops in, combination, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the single detached loop. I

The device B is preferably composed of wire, though many other obvious substances would be nearly or perhaps quite as good for practical purposes. I prefer the wire, as it is inexpensive. The shape of the loop is clearly represented in Fig. 2. I prefer to make it of spring wire and slightly smaller than the smallest finger, as it will then fit closely on this finger, and will expand to fit any larger finger. It may, however, be made of untempered wire, and in such case may be adjusted to fit different fingers by simply bending the wire. The wire is bent to form the loop 0, as

represented, and one end, D, of the wire is extended forward, as shown, to form a rest :for the pen-staff. The opposite end, E, of the wire is extended in the opposite direction, and. the ends are smoothly finished, whereby the device is reversible. In writing, this loop, constructed as shown in Fig. 2, may be used upon the forefinger, the one end projecting forward to support the pen staff and the other ex tending rearward under the middle finger. In this case the one end serves to keep'the penstaff at a proper angle of inclination, and the loop is prevented from turning round on the finger, partly by the close fitting of the ring or loop and'partly by reason of the end which lies under the said middle finger.

It may happen that the pupil is at fault both in the position of the hand and also in holding the pen-staff. In such cases it is de sirable to wear a double loop, one 011 the fore-- finger and one on the last or little finger of the hand. In such case I prefer to combine the two loops together in one instrument, as represented in Fig. 1. This combination is effected by means of the tube F, the two a pproaching ends of the loops being allowed to enter the tube, as shown in Fig. l. It is then applied to the hand, as shown in Fig. 3, and by permitting the ends of the loops to slide longitudinally in the tube the device may be shortened or lengthened to suit hands of any It will be observed that the loop 0 is provided with a small cap or saddle, II. This is composed of a thin metal or other suitable material, soldered or otherwise secured to the loop in position to come on the top of the fin ger when the device is on the hand, as fully shown in Fig. 3. This saddle prevents the device from rolling or rocking on the hand, and thus renders it more reliable, and it permits the device to be made of smaller wire.

The device herein shown, consisting of the two pieces of metal each having the fingerloop 0 formed integral therewith, and the tube F, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

, IV. H, LAMSON.

IVitnesses:

C. B. TUTTLE, CHARLES PEASE. 

